Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín on Legacy Bill amendments to safeguard British Army veterans: “We will not have a hierarchy in the new framework.”
Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly, East Derry representative, calls it: “unacceptable”.
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has slammed comments made by the British Secretary for the North that amendments would be made to a Bill giving effect to the British-Irish Legacy framework that would seek to protect British veterans.
Speaking today, the Meath West TD said: “From the outset, let me be clear that Aontú will never accept a situation whereby British veterans are given special treatment by Westminster in contrast to victims and their families.
“I pressed the Taoiseach when the British government issued a statement not long after signing the Joint Framework when they raised protecting veterans- and he was clear the Irish government won’t accept unilateral changes to that framework.
“It is a disgraceful betrayal of victims and their families yet again that London would seek to undermine an agreement they made only a short time ago to protect their forces and agents from scrutiny and from being held accountable for their actions on this island.
“I have now made the Taoiseach aware of Hilary Benn’s comments and asked him to reflect on his response – we will not have a hierarchy in this new framework and I am confident that in this, all members of the Oireachtas will be of the same opinion.”
Aontú deputy leader Gemma Brolly said: “When we think of cases like that of Sean Brown and the fight the Brown family have had to endure, alongside so many others, for the British government now to seek to bring about legal protection for their forces is totally unacceptable.”
